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05/15/2012 7:19AM

Budget Vote Extra: Is Your School District Raising Spending?

Will you vote in favor of your school district budget?

05/15/2012 7:48AM

Williamsville Budget is out of control

I'll vote a resounding NO!!! on the Williamsville CSD budget. I was a business official there and a school district auditor of Williamsville CSD and their budget is bloated with unnecessary spending. Perhaps the most damaging news, though, is that the state auditor found in 2009 that they had excess general fund unappropriated fund balance of over 8%. That is against the law! They accumulated that excess over four years of overblown budgets under Maturski who is now the Asst Superintendent for Finance there. They were told to give it back to the taxpayers (or use it to reduce debt). They had the nerve to ask for, and receive, a 2% increase in the budget in 2010. Voters--wake up! You are being fleeced by this district.

05/15/2012 7:57AM

Caught in the middle

I hate the cuts because of what they mean in the classroom, but am not going to vote for higher taxes. It's a hold your nose and vote yes kind of year in Cheektowaga

05/15/2012 9:01AM

North Tonawanda Shell Game

I am definately voting NO!!! in North Tonawanda. I have gone to about 2/3rds of the budget meetings and the current Superindendent is never specific in his presentations on exactly what is being cut. We have been promised updated information from the Athletics director and never get it. We are given glib responses when asked why we need so many 'bloat' unmandated positions in the schools and I just feel the Superindendent doesn't have respect for the taxpayers (could be because he is a former teacher that was on the last contract negotiations committee?). Teachers gave a pittance of a concession and then the Union Prez had the nerve to be quoted as saying "don't come back to us next year". Well as a taxpayer I say don't come back to me this year. Communicate to the taxpayers of our city exactly what is being cut and what we pay for and maybe I'll take you seriously and vote yes. Have actual information on the district's website for those of us who vote but have to work in the evenings so that we can pay the highest salaried teachers in Western New York. You get what you pay for and for what we pay teachers our kids should be a lot higher than 55 out of 97.

05/15/2012 12:49PM

Good for North Tonawanda Shell Game Commentator

Good for you-- you get the idea without having the background I have in school district auditing. The superintendents and asst supers are all former teachers and they 'negotiate' the contracts. Believe me, taxpayers are not there first concern. All voters have a right to look at the contracts and the salaries of the teachers/support staff/administrators. I think most people would be shocked to find out that teachers work an average 7 hours per day, 180 days per year, and the average salary is about $60,000, but many make $80,000, $90,000, and $100,000. It doesn't take long. Also, many bus drivers make about $56,000 per year if those drivers are used for sports and field trips. Custodians can make $60,000/year easily. Don't know about taxpayers in North Tonawanda, but my salary level is about $50,000, no company paid health insurance, no 401K employer contribution, 2 sick days, no long-term insurance, no retirement. Makes you wonder why the people working for us are doing better than those paying their salaries.